Abstract
This dissertation examines the intersection of media consumption, crime perception, and audience engagement through three interrelated studies. The first study provides a comparative content analysis of country and rap/hip-hop music, investigating lyrical themes of crime, violence, misogyny, substance use, and social justice. Findings challenge public perceptions that disproportionately associate rap/hip-hop with crime and violence, highlighting thematic similarities across genres while underscoring racial and gender disparities in artist representation. The second study explores the impact of on-screen violence on box office performance and audience appeal, analyzing MPAA ratings and streaming trends. Results indicate that moderate violence correlates with greater financial success, with PG-13 films outperforming R-rated films in theaters, while streaming platforms accommodate higher violence levels due to relaxed content restrictions. The third study examines how media consumption shapes fear of crime among Florida residents. Results suggest that national television news and social media significantly heighten fear, particularly among younger audiences, reinforcing media-driven distortions of crime prevalence. Collectively, these studies contribute to media and criminological scholarship by revealing how entertainment and news media shape public attitudes toward crime, violence, and safety. These findings hold important implications for public policy, media literacy initiatives, and future research.